Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Abhishek Banerjee on Sunday dared the BJP to prove its allegations against him.
“They are saying that the nephew is an extortionist. Let them prove it. I challenge them. In fact, they are the ones who are entangled with Saradha and Narada scams, not me. CBI is not investigating me, the Central government agency is investigating them,” Mr. Banerjee, who is nephew of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, said addressing a gathering at Diamond Harbour in South 24 Parganas.
The Trinamool Congress MP’s remarks were directed at BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari who recently quit the Trinamool Congress and joined the BJP. Along with Mr. Adhikari, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP president J.P. Nadda had targeted the young TMC MP. In his speech, Mr. Banerjee pointed out that the TMC turncoats who joined the BJP were accused in different scams. In fact, there were three BJP leaders, Mukul Roy and Sovan Chatterjee along with Mr Adhikari, who could be seen in Narada sting videos allegedly taking cash on camera, he claimed.
Mr. Banerjee also targeted Mr. Adhikari for his remarks that his job was to win the State and “hand over Bengal to Modi ji.” “What is West Bengal, a vegetable or Joynagar Moya [a local sweet] that you will hand it over to Modi,” the TMC MP said
‘Political U-turn’
Mr. Banerjee accused Mr. Adhikari of making a political U-turn and said “he has sold his spine to the BJP.” “Isn’t he ashamed? His father and brother are still in TMC. One who cannot get the lotus to bloom in his own family is out there to ensure lotus blooms across Bengal,” he said.
Mr. Banerjee said all those who wanted to join the BJP should leave the party and Ms. Mamata Banerjee did not need them. “Like the coronovirus is the hidden enemy, he [Mr. Adhikari] too lay hidden in the TMC for so many years. If he is ashamed for having been associated with the Trinamool for 21 years, then why is he still living in the same household as his father and brother?” the TMC MP said.
On the BJP’s accusing the TMC of being involved in cattle smuggling and coal pilfering, Mr. Banerjee said, “Central forces under Home Minister Amit Shah are deployed at the border [BSF] and at the coalfields [CISF]. Why have they not stopped cattle smuggling and coal pilfering, where corruption is in crores of rupees?” He demanded resignation of Mr. Shah.
During the day, Mr. Adhikari held a road show at Dantan in Paschim Medinipur and targeted Mr. Banerjee saying, “ Tolabaaj Bhaipho hatao [extortionist nephew must go].” The BJP leader said one government should be there both at the State and the Centre for development of Bengal and ensuring that youths in the State got employment.
Gets key post
In another development, BJP leader and former Mayor of Kolkata Sovon Chatterjee has been assigned a key organisational post in the party. Mr. Chatterjee was one of the close aides of Ms. Mamata Banerjee and Mayor of Kolkata for over eight years till he joined the BJP in 2019. Mr. Adhikari has been appointed observer to the Kolkata Zone of the BJP. His aide Baishakhi Banerjee has been appointed co-convener of the Kolkata Zone.
